Tuesday 24 April 2007

What's so special about Jane Austen?


And I have to admit that my acquaintance with the 19th century 'Lady Kartini' of England just began a month ago when I watched 'Becoming Jane'. A lot of things can be said about Miss Austen, most notably the fact that she remained unmarried despite her success with her witty and funny stories. Below is an interesting quote from Ang Lee, the director of 'Sense and Sensibility (1995)':

One of the things that made Jane Austen so special was that she recognized the duality in everything. She knew that there is almost never just one thing going on in any situation, and she recognized the heartbreak which can result when the innocents among us must finally confront the truth. But she also rejoiced in the opportunities for satire which inevitably arise when people are saying one thing and doing something else.

It is thus the truth universally acknowledged (well, at least among Austenians) that Mr. Lee is correct.


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